Love this score, too, but I'm too biased by my worship of Thomas Newman to really give too honest of an opinion 
But seriously...my thoughts on this score have always been that it's a little long, but then again so is the film. In fact, the final cues have to "suffer" (i use that term loosely b/c it's a gorgeous score) the film's length and multiple endings - seriously, in the film there's about four places u think "ok, and...fade out...no, ok, more...ok....now!...no, ok" and u can hear that in the ups-and-downs of the final score.
That said, this is beautiful, lyrical stuff as usual. I just love Thomas Newman. One of my favorite composers. Some people think he's nothing but pretty sonic wallpaper. I really can't quite put my finger on why listening to the final cue from THE WAR or the HORSE WHISPERER stuff or the GREEN MILE just makes my day.
But good choice of an underrated score, MEET JOE BLACK. I'd rate it as "typical" Thomas Newman in terms of themes and standout bits, yet it's one of a handful of albums I can put on and leave on and then go "oh...wow, that's over? time to hit 'play' again"...
